Summer Reset, Part 2: Breathwork
- Britt Ritchie
- 21 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Breathwork Training to Regulate Your Stress Response
In Part 1 of this series, we explored how mindfulness helps calm your nervous system by building presence and awareness.
In today's post, we're diving into one of the fastest ways to reset your stress response: breathwork training. Whether you're running on anxiety, stuck in burnout, or feeling emotionally all over the place, your breath is one of the most powerful, underused tools for healing - and it's available 24/7.
Spoiler Alert:
When Your Body Feels Like It’s Always Bracing…
You might look calm on the outside.
But inside, your chest is tight. Your jaw is clenched. Your heart’s racing over something that hasn’t even happened yet.
You don’t feel safe—but you can’t explain why.
This is what nervous system dysregulation feels like in the body. It’s the experience of constantly bracing for impact, even if you’re just replying to an email or trying to fall asleep.
And it’s exhausting.
That’s why I teach my clients one foundational, accessible strategy that works in the moment—and rewires the nervous system over time:
Breathwork training.
Why Breath Matters So Much
Here’s the beautiful thing about breath:
It’s automatic, and it’s controllable.
Your breathing is the only autonomic function that you can influence directly and immediately. That makes it the perfect entry point to regulating your nervous system.
When your breath slows, your brain and body get the message: “I’m safe.”
And the data backs it up. Controlled breathing:
Activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest + digest)
Increases heart rate variability (HRV)
Calms the amygdala (your brain’s alarm system)
Lowers stress hormones like cortisol
Improves emotional regulation and focus (yes, even with ADHD)
What Is HRV—and Why Does It Matter?
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the measure of variation in time between each heartbeat.
Sounds small, but it’s a big deal.
Higher HRV = a more adaptable, resilient nervous system. Lower HRV = stuck in survival mode.
When your nervous system is balanced, your heart rate can flex moment-to-moment. That variability means you can transition easily between states—like moving from focused action to restful recovery.
Breathwork directly improves HRV by stimulating the vagus nerve. Over time, consistent breath practice strengthens your parasympathetic response, raising HRV and increasing your body’s ability to regulate stress, mood, and energy.
Immediate, Short-Term, and Long-Term Benefits
Immediate (Within Minutes):
Lower heart rate
Reduced muscle tension
Less mental reactivity (panic, spiraling thoughts)
Short-Term (2–4 Weeks of Practice):
Better sleep
Fewer anxiety episodes
Greater focus and mental clarity (especially helpful for ADHD and burnout)
Long-Term (Months+):
Higher baseline HRV
Improved mood regulation
Enhanced ability to shift out of stress mode faster
Two Breathwork Techniques to Try Today
These are the two techniques I teach most often in session. Both are effective, beginner-friendly, and can be practiced anywhere.
This is the foundation. It shifts shallow, anxious chest breathing into deep, calming belly breaths.
How to Do It:
Sit or lie down. Place one hand on your chest, the other on your belly.
Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4, letting your belly rise.
Exhale gently through pursed lips for a count of 6, letting your belly fall.
Repeat for 3–10 minutes.
Used by Navy SEALs and therapists alike, this method is great for anxiety and hyperarousal.
How to Do It:
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts
Hold your breath for 4 counts
Exhale through your mouth for 4 counts
Hold again for 4 counts
Repeat the box cycle for 2–5 minutes
When to Use Breathwork
You can use breathwork reactively (in the moment of stress) or proactively (as daily regulation). Both are valuable.
In-the-moment examples:
Before a tough conversation
During an anxiety spike
While overstimulated in public (hi, ADHD)
As a reset between meetings
Routine examples:
First thing in the morning to set a grounded tone
Midday to restore focus and energy
Before bed to promote sleep
Stack it with other habits. Breathwork while your coffee brews? Game changer.
What Breathwork Can Do for You (and My Clients)
In my practice, breathwork training is one of the most immediately empowering tools I teach. It helps:
ADHD clients pause before reacting
Anxious women interrupt spirals before they take over
Burned-out professionals reconnect to their body
Perfectionists calm the internal pressure long enough to actually rest
It’s not about perfection—it’s about practice. Every time you breathe with awareness, you’re building nervous system resilience.
Try This Today
Make time today to try one of the breathwork practices below
Use this pre-post assessment to identify the effectiveness of this practice
Repeat tomorrow.
And if you want more structure for your reset, download my 7-Day Mental Health Reset to guide your daily practices.
Up Next in the Series…
In Part 3, we’ll explore vagal toning—easy, science-backed techniques like cold water exposure, humming, and gargling that further support your parasympathetic nervous system. These are excellent daily tools for people who want a quick way to shift from “on edge” to at ease.
How I Can Help
If you’re tired of just managing symptoms and want to actually feel better—emotionally, physically, and mentally—I’d love to help.
I combine:
Root-cause integrative psychiatry
Functional lab testing and hormone analysis
Personalized nutrition and micronutrient optimization
Breathwork training, mindfulness, and somatic tools
...to help ambitious women like you feel more regulated, resilient, and deeply yourself again.
Explore next steps:
Tried breathwork?
Yes, and I'm obsessed
I think I hyperventilated
Not yet—but I breathe daily, does that count?
Planning to give it a go (when I stop procrastinating)
Tell me: Have you tried breathwork before? What works for you—or what gets in the way?
Leave a comment or share your experience—I’d love to hear.